Having classes start later seems like it would be a great advantage, for night owls, at least, who can sleep a bit longer. A new study, however, associates later class times with more alcohol drinking, poorer sleep and lower GPAs.

Dr. Pamela Thatcher surmises that "Later class start times seemed to change the choices students make: They sleep longer, and they drink more." Student who said they were night owls were also more likely to consume more alcohol and have a delayed sleep schedule. The study found that the resulting poorer sleep led to modestly lower grades overall. (Also of note: In a previous study, Dr. Thatcher found that pulling all-nighters was associated with lower grades.)

So, to get better grades, get better sleep and reduce alcohol consumption. You might be able to force yourself to do this by taking classes that start earlier. Photo by Bruce.